Mayor, Developer Discuss Project

Hope To Keep Momentum

August 17, 2007|By DAN UHLINGER; Courant Staff Writer

EAST HARTFORD — With a new three-story medical office building scheduled to open next month, the developer of the Main Street Redevelopment Area II met with Mayor Melody A. Currey Thursday to find ways to keep the project moving forward.

Gregg Sapere, a principal in First Merchants Group of East Windsor, said the 27,000-square-foot office building to be leased by St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center would be ready for occupancy by Sept. 1.

The building at Main Street and Connecticut Boulevard will contain offices for primary care physicians, medical and surgical specialists and ancillary services. A dentist is also planning to lease office space.

Sapere said his company's goal to develop the Main Street area between Connecticut Boulevard and Governor Street is bearing fruit. In addition to the medical building, a Walgreens drugstore was built last summer on the 5.5-acre site, which is called Gateway Square.

But Sapere said the plan for a third building that would contain a full-service restaurant has stalled.

``With the economic times there's not been a lot of full-service restaurants built -- not in East Hartford, not in many towns. That's not reflective on East Hartford. It's just not a good time for full-service restaurants,'' Sapere said.

Sapere met with Currey Thursday to explore alternatives to the restaurant. He also plans to meet with the town redevelopment commission.

``Since we took over this site some 2 1/2 years ago we have been struggling for a full-service restaurant,'' Sapere said. ``Believe me. We have contacted everybody. Truly, we have left no stones unturned. I even went to Friendly's [Restaurants] and offered to not only build their entire building but also finance all their equipment for them and they turned me down.''

Currey acknowledged Sapere's efforts and said she would be open to other ideas for the site.

``If it's an appropriate use of the site, something that says something positive about Main Street, I'm all in favor of something else going there other than a full-service restaurant,'' Currey said. ``Definitely don't want to see a McDonalds or that type of [fast-food] approach.''

Currey said another office building similar to the one opening next month would be a great fit.

``That's such a beautiful building. To have another one like it with the beautiful architecture would be great for the downtown,'' she said. Sapere said the town has the final say on alternatives to the restaurant and he would work with town officials.

The town has been trying to redevelop the site since the mid-1990s when it was a blighted, crime-ridden area.